JAMAICA.
279
appraised at nine and ten. Domestics were tlien valued at from four to five doubloons, who are now for the short remaining period of their service estimated at the same rate. These remarks entirely coincide with our own observations, and with the facts stated to us by many other individuals. 30th.—We saw
to
day
DUNCAN PATERSON,
an
apprentice from St. Thomas in the East, who, five months ago, gave notice to be valued ; and from that time to the present, has duly every week attended the Court of the Special Magistrate, but has been hitherto successfully bafiled by his master. The following is his statement, and we learn from other authority that its particulars are true. " When my master took a a new partner he made the people very unhappy, and used frequently to lock them up in the dungeon and ordered their salt fish to be taken from them. Three times last year I was locked up in the dungeon from night till morning without food or water. He com plained that we did not turn out early on Monday morning, though we had to go ten or eleven miles to work, with our tools and a week's provision on our heads. The magistrate ordered every other Saturday to be taken from us. The last time I was locked up was for complaining to the magistrate about our allow ance. I became so unhappy that about three months before Christmas I applied to Mr. HEWITT to be valued. I went to the court house every Saturday, but my mas ter got it put off every week till Christmas, when he got a magistrate who valued me at ninety-six pounds Mr. HEWITT spoke against it and wrote to the Gover nor. I have been down every Saturday to the Court since and have not been able to get it settled. I have now been to Spanish Town, but was not allowed to